Scheduling time to exercise can be one of the biggest barriers to improving physical activity.

For some people it’s hard to find a consistent time throughout the week to exercise, while others struggle to find a long enough period in the day to get a workout in.

Here are some tips to consider when determining how to get the quality time needed for your workouts.

1. Plan for the time when you feel the most motivated.

Becoming motivated to exercise can be tough enough as it is, by scheduling your routine around the times when you feel you’d be the most likely to exercise will help to keep you disciplined.

The mornings are great because by completing a routine first thing you can feel more productive and more energized to start the day. If you’re not a morning person then you may want to work out at night.

Exercising around 2 hours before you go to sleep can help you to sleep better as well. Lunch breaks can also be a good time to get a quick 30 minute aerobic exercise in.

2. Break up time throughout the day.

For some, it may be hard at first to find a long enough duration to get a good workout in. If this is the case for you, then try to break up your exercises throughout the day.

Try doing three separate 10 minute periods of moderate aerobic exercise as the day goes on. This can be a great way to keep you moving all day rather than having long periods of rest with a single segment of activity. It’s also a great way to break up your day and relieve stress.

3. Plan different activity types for individual days.

Doing the same routine day in and day out can get monotonous and cause you to lose motivation and interest over time. Try to schedule different types of activities for different days.

A common break down throughout the week involves aerobic activities on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday with muscle strengthening exercises occurring on Tuesday and Thursday.

4. Set your exercise times a week in advance so there isn’t a scheduling conflict.

Pre-planning your exercise times lessens the likelihood of a schedule conflict occurring.

Try to keep your exercise times consistent from week to week. This will help you develop a habit of regular activity.

5. Choose a routine that suits your environment.

When first starting a regular exercise routine, figuring out where to exercise can be difficult. You can spend a lot of time trying to get to a gym, which puts a greater toll on an already busy schedule.

If you can’t easily access a full gym, then you can save time by incorporating exercises into your environment. Some examples you can utilize are walking/jogging in a local park, following a home exercise routine on the internet or television, or using a small gym in an office building.

6. If you have pain or any other limitations, plan your routine when you experience your symptoms the least.

Other factors such as pain and stiffness associated with arthritis, or glucose control and diabetes could present additional challenges for exercising.

If you are susceptible to any of these limitations, try planning your routine around the times where your symptoms are the lowest or when your medication is having the greatest effect.